Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-10-05
NOTORIOUS APACHEs. /.
NV Geronimo, Natchez and Mangus Spend
~ Their Days at Fort Pickens.

KS NOTORIOUS APACHES.
1ov Geronimo, Natchez and AIangus Spend
S~z Their Days at Fort Pickens. .
Fort Pickens, Florida, lated at the ex-
IRENE end of Santa Rosa island, and op-
posite to Fort Barrancas on the mainland,
commands the entrance to the Bay of Pen
sacola-the best harbor of the United
States on the Gulf of Mexico and the seat
OF rapidly growing commerce, writes q
correspondent of the New York Tribune
Geronimo and fourteen compatriots ar
rived at Fort Pickens on the 25th Of Octo-
Der, 1886, and were followed in the course
Of q few days by the two chiefs Mangus
and Hatchez. Their women and children
had previously been forwarded to Fort
Marion, st. August ine, where they are
now confined. The seventeen Indians are
held under close military guard, consisting
OF fifteen enlisted men belonging to the
Second U. s. Artillery, and under the i'm
F. Parker. Under other circumstances
this insignificant force might be al
together too small. On his native
heath the sullen and desperate Apache
would scarcely hesitate before attempting
to overpower and Stay his jailers. Here
he is surrounded by vast bodies of salt
water which inspire a superstitiou dread
which he has not yet been able to over
come For a long time he declined to
venture his precious body anywhere near
the beach. Whether he be able to swim or
not, there is but slight probability of any
natatory effort to escape. In addition to
the imaginary terrors of the waves there
are sundry real ones in the shape of man.
eating sharks, to which the toughest
aborigine would be delicious morsel, and
that are fearfully prompt in swapping at
opportunity.
With two exceptions all the captives are
under size. The epidermis is dark brown.
almost black in some; the hair long,
black. perfectly straight, and Enthusiastically
head; eyes small, keen and black as jet;
face broad and features sharp; hands and
feet sufficiently small to satisfy We're
Do We're, and body thin and 1.-the as that of
the mountain lion; facial expression
sinister, furtive and cunning-as becomes
their past environment Months Of con-
tact with civilization have developed
latent possibilities, of which their reason
ably neat and clean appearance is an index.
Three OF the seventeen merit, or demerit,
special notice. These are Geronimo,
Natchez and Mangus. The former is not,
as is popularity supposed, the hereditary
chief of his tribe. Like Sitting Bull, he is
a medicine man, and like him a chief by
selection. Head and brain of his clans
men, his influence over them is unbounded.
Short and stout of figure, with large square
head, high slanting forehead, hooked nose,
piercing restless eyes, Ethiopian skin and
hand of feminine size and softness, he
exhibits some amiable' weaknesses hardly
in keeping with his reputed fondness for
ito + f,.op
his proximity without repeated hand-shak-
ing, that may Or may not imply an invita-
ton to Call again. How old he is he doesn't
know, but he does know that thirty two
years have passed away since he married
his first wife If this event occurred at
the age of eighteen, when Apache braves
generally marry, he must now be about
htty. Geronimo is much married man,
having gone through the nuptial ceremony
no less than five times. Two Of his wives
are now prisone at st. Augustine. The
hope Of seeing them again is powerful
Incentive to subordination and prompt
obedience. He and companions ought to
be devoted husbands and parents If con-
duct be in concord with the tender COM
positions regularly transmitted from Fort
PickeDs to Fort Marion.
Natchez, the true hereditary chief, is
u.
feet high, erect, we'll proportioned, grave
and dignifed under his weight of thirty
years. The rest of the band treat him with
pronounced respect. His words are few,
and his dislike Of that fierce light which
beats upon royalty of all grades most en-
phatic
Mangus is an intractable savage. His
arm is still in bandages from the effects of
injury received while on his way to Pensa-
cola. When nearing that city, at the rate
OF forty miles an hour, Mangus suddenly
sprang through the car window and was
stunned by sudden collision with the
ground. Regaining consciousness stimuli
taneously with recapture, he was put in
irons until the final destination was
reached. Then, to his great joy, the hand
cuffs were removed.
Two dingy old easements in the interior
OF the fort, each containing a large open
fireplace furnish comfortable accommo-
dations to these comfortable nomads.
Here provisions, consisting of the regular
cook assigned to that duty. Salt pork is
infinitely less to their taste than fresh
beef, and is cooked by frying, after first
soaking and boiling out all the brine.
Fresh fish, which Pensacola bay supplies
in choicest variety, is still less relished,
but is slowly coming into use. Clad in SOL
diers' fatigue suits, the prisoners are much
more presentable than when attired in in
digenous costume. Several have found or
been presented with old broad-brimmed
hats. But high-topped shoes constitute
their especial vanity. Mangus evidently
prefers his to the time-honored moccasin,
and blacks them about four times day
Glad to be beyond the reach of Arizona
justice, every member of the band is quiet,
submissive, tractable and industrious.
Shovel, rake, saw and axe have already
become familiar tools. The wheelbarrow
proved to be as intractable, at first, in the
hands of Geronimo, as bucking broncho
in those of a metropolitan dude; but he is
sail to have achieved complete triumph
over the singular implement. The dex-
ferrous grace with which he swings the
sounding axe is not exceeded by that
with which he was wont to fling the tom
ahawk. Work as yet is simply amuse-
ment No more fantastic toilers than these
willing Apache warriors can be found in
all the sunny South. One Of the undlst:n-
guishel braves evinces considerable artist
&c ability, and delights in making colored
sketches Of The sergeant of the guard Mr..